pilots with depression

I was told to never, ever admit to any levels of depression if I wanted to pass my medical. not that it's a problem, just sayin'.

Buzz Aldrin writes:
I regarded Robin Williams as a friend and fellow sufferer. His passing is a great loss. The torment of depression and the complications of addiction that accompany it affect millions, including myself and family members before me - my grandfather committed suicide before I was born and my mother the year before I went to the moon - along with hundreds of veterans who come to a similar fate each year. As individuals and as a nation we need to be compassionate and supportive of all who suffer and give them the resources to face life. ‪#‎RobinWilliams‬ RIP

The FAA has several antidepressant meds on its approved drug lists. See aopa.org for more information.

Jim Berry
RV-10

never

Never volunteer any info on a medical. There is still prejudice and misunderstanding of depression amongst doctors.

N15JB said:

The FAA has several antidepressant meds on its approved drug lists.

Click to expand...

While it is possible to get authorization to fly while on these drugs, you must ground yourself for 12 months at a minimum while you go on them to prove you are stable, and you must take tests every few years to prove you are OK- at a cost of thousands of dollars per test.

I believe I once saw recently that only about 200 pilots had gone through all of this 4 years after the rule was changed, even though statistically it should be tens of thousands if you assume the pilot population uses these drugs at the same ratio as the general population.

be sure and do your homework

Jim,
Can you point out one of those approved meds?
I am skimming the list at AOPA and anything I see that references depression has a HUGE red X next to it... saying not approved.
I would not want a forum reading pilot to go blabbing to anyone... about their depression meds... until REALLY sure it was approved.
Gonna rent some of Robin's movies this weekend. What a loss... to many.

flightlogic said:

Jim,
Can you point out one of those approved meds?
I am skimming the list at AOPA and anything I see that references depression has a HUGE red X next to it... saying not approved.
I would not want a forum reading pilot to go blabbing to anyone... about their depression meds... until REALLY sure it was approved.
Gonna rent some of Robin's movies this weekend. What a loss... to many.

Click to expand...

Nick, take a look here:

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/.../FAA-approves-SSRIs-for-medical-certification

This highlights the problem with the 3rd class medical. When the FAA decides what medication you can take to be fit to fly, you put the pilot in a position of not getting medical treatment when they may really need it. For those working in the airlines it is even a bigger risk - their income depends on them passing the physical.

Is the pilot or public safer because a pilot is not allowed to take medication that they and THEIR doctor feel is best for them or a pilot who doesn't tell their doctor or the FAA that they are depressed, high blood pressure, ADD, or any of the other things that are disqualifiers?

Depression is an issue in most if not all families. How sad it is that with the amazing medications and treatment programs that pilots who are afraid they will lose their job can't participate in. How many deaths could be traced to not getting the treatment they needed?

I vote the pilot and THEIR doctor are the ones to decide if a pilot is fit to fly. In the end, all the rules and regulations will not stop a pilot from getting into the air.

Thanks for the link. I read the details and see that it is special issue medical... review by board certified psychiatrists and evaluation periodically. They don't mention the significant dollars regulated into the change for some reason.
I don't actually know anyone who has jumped through the required hoops... but it looks like it might be a MAJOR hurdle.
In my personal life.... if I am feeling blue.. it is usually some agggggravating person on the ground bugging me. Flying makes me feel MUCH better.
Doesn't seem that I present a hazard to anyone below. If bent on retaliation... I tend to do it behind the wheel and using the horn. Maybe my RV needs an AIR HORN. But that is going to be a new thread for sure.

Same in military

I very carefully brought it up with my military flight doc and it is the same with us, but he was blunt: You fly a very effective suicide machine, thats why we are so careful.

We are very good (if you seek help early) about anonymous (or so I believe, and I really do believe it) self referral for counseling. Anything past that and we are down for quite a while I think. Counseling worked for me I am proud to say!